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Elliot55 shares a harrowing tale of losing his beloved Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX II 50th Anniversary Racing Edition, reference 192.T.400. This post delves into the emotional rollercoaster of a missing timepiece and the unexpected discovery that brought it back, highlighting a critical design flaw in the watch's strap.
Photograph of Actual Watch Courtesy of Amanico – He Suggested We Check Max!
Until last Wednesday, now three-and-a-half-months later, the watch has been missing without a trace. Nothing. Zilch. Simply put, I was devastated. Or as my fancy actor friend likes to say: “Crestfallen” (découragé).
The hunt was on. Not just in the ‘retracing of my footsteps’, not just in the going through the trash six different times, not just in the rifling through every sheet of paper known to mankind, but also getting online every single day and typing the search term: AMVOX. That, and every ten minutes asking, “Google? Where’s my watch?” Admittedly, that’s the ‘calm version’. As time went on it became more of a, “Hey, GOOGLE, GOD DAMN IT, where’s my EXPLITIVE’ing watch?!?”.
Has anyone seen my Jaeger LeCoultre AMVOX II 50th Anniversary Racing Edition? Reference 192.T.400? Anyone? Anywhere? On eBay? Chrono24? Sotheby’s? Knightsbridge? Pawn Shop? I had people as far as Britain, France, and even Russia, keeping their eye out for it. After a couple of weeks, the time had come for me to accept it was gone. Vanished. Or as my fancy actor friend likes to say, “Poof” (yes, he’s the one in France). I went through every single possible scenario; Who’d been in my house? Who would have known what it was? Where it was? et al. None of it made any sense and those questions never stopped peppering my mind. My uncle even suggested I was just going to have to “digest” this, and that it might take a while, but “digest” it I would. “Yeah, like passing a couple of marble-sized kidney stones,” I thought to myself.
I hated having to call my insurance company to open a claim and file a “lost or stolen item report” with the police because it symbolically meant I had given up. I called my friend at the Jaeger LeCoultre boutique in Beverly Hills, who was well familiar with this particular AMVOX, informing him it was missing and asking him to keep an ear to the ground. As time marched on, I did my best to “digest”, and still no watch.
Then, and for whatever reason (I cannot even explain as to why or how), just this last Wednesday, I was compelled to call my buddy at the JLC boutique. You know, just to ask the everyday question any of us would ask on a Wednesday, “Hi, has anyone come in to have their Amvox 2, 50th Anniversary Racing Edition, serviced?” And my friend on the other end hesitates for a moment then says, “No… but someone called in on Monday to ask what one is worth…” Along with the lump in my throat, I felt my heartbeat skip. And for a brief moment time actually stood still. We both quickly realized the person who had called was in possession of my watch and the clock was already ticking. My friend went about reaching out to the person who had called, and I went back to the police department.
SMASH CUT TO - THE NEXT DAY: Thursday, there’s an LAPD Detective at my door. He asks, “Are you Scott? Is this your watch?”
It is worth mentioning the people (neighbors on the next block) who found the watch did, in fact, take it to the police on what would have been the day after I supposedly lost it. Unfortunately, the officer who did the “intake” on the item wrote down the serial number as 85/100. When I had reported the watch “lost or stolen”, the person who did the “intake” wrote the actual serial number on the report. And so, the “property system” software could not make a match. After waiting the 90 days, the watch was released to the people who had turned it in. When I asked the Detective why this happened, he very bluntly said, “Because our system is shit.” The Detective also said the uniqueness of this particular timepiece played a role in its return to the owner. “When this watch came in, none of us had ever seen anything like it,” he stated. “If this had been a Rolex, you probably would have never seen it again. We have about five thousand of ‘em in our lockup.” Frankly, the cop had me at “Is this your watch?”
I GOT MY WATCH BACK!!! Max is happy too. Cheers. Have A Great Week, Everyone!
- Scott
The Amvox2 represents Jaeger LeCoultre's approach to contemporary sports timing, offered here in the Steel Black series configuration. This 44mm reference positions itself as a substantial automatic chronograph within the Amvox2 collection, distinguished by its monochromatic steel and black dial treatment.
The 44mm steel case houses an automatic movement and features a black dial beneath sapphire crystal protection. Water resistance extends to 100 meters, while a fixed bezel completes the case architecture. The steel construction and automatic movement provide the mechanical foundation for this chronograph reference.
This Steel Black series Amvox2 appeals to collectors seeking a modern Jaeger LeCoultre sports chronograph with substantial wrist presence. The 44mm case diameter and black dial configuration offer a contemporary alternative within the Amvox2 range, providing automatic chronograph functionality in a steel sports watch format. The combination of size, materials, and dial treatment positions this reference for collectors focused on modern Jaeger LeCoultre sports complications.
My day. Congrats on finding your watch. Might just get me started on getting a JLC vs Rolex Cheers
You already knew that.
... Failed at the lugs. Springbar still attached.
... Full access to all. He just can't get em' on so easy, on account of not having thumbs.
... Now go get a Jaeger
Hugely happy for your positive outcome. Enjoy it all the more anew! Cheers, Filip
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